I recently read an article that resonates with my current job and my reflections on how I am serving others. Written by Joe Paprocki, it is entitled Social Justice - Catholic Social Teaching. The article is short and sweet but power packed for me. Paprocki recalls hearing over and over again in school that he was to become a man for others - one who would translate his faith into action and tend to the needs of others, particularly those who are less fortunate. He refers to a document entitled "Sharing Catholic Social Teaching: Challenges and Direction" that was written by the bishops of the United States as a guide to help put faith into action. The document outlines seven principles of social justice in Catholic teaching that can be followed in order to discover how to live as people for others. For the purposes of this blog post, I would like to focus on the following four principles:
1. Dignity of the Human Person
2. Call to Family, Community, and Participation
3. Rights and Responsibilities
4. Option for the Poor and Vulnerable
As I consider the four principles listed above, I wonder how have I been translating my faith into action, how my thoughts and actions connect to the Catholic leadership framework, and what I need to work on to become a better man for others. I will explore the answers to my wonderings below.
Dignity of the Human Person
Faith into action: How do I treat people? How do I show them respect? We are all God's children - no matter our position. I think that I generally treat people well. I give them the benefit of the doubt and I enter into situations with an open mind. I try and come from a place of wonder and compassion and I listen so I can understand and offer suggestions for support.
Catholic leadership framework: Building Relationships and Developing People ~ Leaders listen to ideas, are open to them, and genuinely considering their value. Leaders demonstrate respect, care, and personal regard for one another. Treating people with dignity helps build trusting relationships.
Next steps: I need to continue to consider how I will deal with people who don't reciprocate an openness to me. I am learning not to take things personally and to remember that I am in a privileged position within a system and society that may not "see" the people that I am trying to help.
Call to Family, Community, and Participation
Faith into action: We are called to support the family so people can participate in society, build community, and promote well being. I spend most of my time with students but I actively communicate with their parents to provide academic updates, ask questions, and provide suggestions/support. If my support is not enough, I connect the family to the social worker that is part of the re-engagement team and together, we work to move in a positive direction.
Catholic leadership framework: Building Relationships and Developing People ~ Leaders are easily accessible to students and parents and have frequent, meaningful interactions with students and parents in order to further the academic goals. Developing the Organization to Support Desired Practices ~ Leaders create an environment in which parents are welcomed, respected and valued as partners in their children’s learning, demonstrate the type of leadership that parents can trust - confident, systematic and attentive, work directly with families of diverse backgrounds to help them provide their children with support in the home that will contribute to their success at school, and help connect families to the wider network of social services as needed.
Next steps: I need to continue to hone my understanding of my role so that I can tend to the needs of the families I serve but not overstep in areas that require more specialized assistance. I want to make sure that I refer my student's and families to the people that are trained to provide them with what they need to be active participants in their communities.
Rights and Responsibilities
Faith into action: we are called to protect the rights that people have to things that are required to have a decent life (food, clothing, shelter). I consider education to be one of those rights. I learn about each of my students and the situation that they are in. As I collaborate with schools to assist my students I inform them of what options are available to them and the responsibilities that come with each option. The students don't always know what their rights are so I ensure that they are informed so they can assist in making decisions about their education.
Catholic leadership framework: Securing accountability ~ Leaders promote collective responsibility and accountability for student achievement and well-being. Improving the instructional program ~ Leaders give priority to identifying those students most in need of additional support. Developing the organization to support desired practices ~ Leaders help connect families to the wider network of social services as needed.
Next steps: It is important for me to continue to work with school staff to learn about the intricacies of each student case that I am responsible for. The more I know the better I can inform. Being honest with my students will also build trusting relationships. It is important for students to be active participants in their education.
Option for the Poor and Vulnerable
Faith into action: we are called to pay attention to the needs of the poor. Some of the students/families I work with belong to low income households. The lack of finances adds another layer of stress and causes priorities to shift. In these situations, I take great care to be compassionate and as helpful as I can be while respecting the wishes of the students/families. The schools are always helpful in these situations and will provide for the families if they are ok with it. I can't "fix" this for people but I can certainly be supportive and connect the students/families with people who can help more than I can.
Catholic leadership framework: Developing the Organization to Support Desired Practices ~ Leaders create an environment in which parents are welcomed, respected and valued as partners in their children’s learning, demonstrate the type of leadership that parents can trust - confident, systematic and attentive, work directly with families of diverse backgrounds to help them provide their children with support in the home that will contribute to their success at school, and help connect families to the wider network of social services as needed. Building relationships and developing people ~ Leaders create and sustain a caring Catholic school culture, model responsibility, integrity and thoroughness in carrying out tasks, act in ways that consistently reflect the school’s core values and priorities in order to
establish trust, demonstrate respect for students and parents by listening to their ideas, being
open to those ideas, and genuinely considering their value, and demonstrate respect, care and personal regard for students and parents.
Next steps: As I stated above, this is not something I can "fix" but building trusting relationships with people by being respectful and authentic is a constant goal that I work toward. Connecting students/families from low income households with the right community supports is a start. I can do my part by assisting with academics in a way that works for the student based on their particular life situation and needs. I can be a liaison between the family and the school and I can connect the student and family with the social worker on my team. These situations are not easy to navigate but tend to get better when they know my role and see that my actions and words are aligned.
As a Catholic teacher/leader, it is important for me to continue to grow and serve the students, families, and staff that I work with. Actioning my faith provides alignment between what I believe and how I act. Checking in on the Catholic Leadership Framework guides me with respect to how I lead and what I need to work on in order to grow as a Catholic leader.
Taking the time to reflect is key. It is what provides me with the data I need to stay on my current course or change direction. Minor adjustments are inevitable. They are made as I continue to learn how to be a better person and how to lead.
